Last year, Innings Festival came to Tampa, FL for the first time boasting two days of sun, fun, and music. This year, Innings came back promising even more and it delivered. Two days, three stages, music, baseball player meet and greets, food…what else could you ask for. Saturday started off on a somewhat chilly (by Florida standards) note, but the weather couldn’t deter the crowds or the bands.
Saturday had a great lineup of music, featuring Japanese Breakfast, Weezer, and Grouplove. The one artist I felt was a bit of a headscratcher was Pitbull. He just didn’t seem to gel with the rest of the lineup. Well, I could not have been more mistaken as he stole the day. Featuring a great lineup of musicians, dancers, and quite the lightshow, Mr. Worldwide definitely earned his title. Not to be outdone, the evening ended with a powerful performance by Imagine Dragons. Singer Dan Reynolds walked out in what appeared to be swim shorts, not concerned with the unusually low temps in Tampa. Their performance was the perfect way to end the first day. Their music is powerful and the pyro and light show they had matched the energy of their music.
Japanese Breakfast:
Grouplove:
Pitbull:
Weezer:
Imagine Dragons:
Sunday’s lineup proved to be just as hard-hitting with The Breeders, Avett Brothers, The Revivalists (which I was happy to see on the bill), Third Eye Blind, and a solo performance by Marcus Mumford. All of the performers were on their A-game. Marcus Mumford was endearing as he took the stage without the rest of his band. He seemed a little taken aback that people gathered just to hear him and introduced his “band”: Hermione on bass, Gandalf on drums, you get it. The Revivalists came out ready to party. Lead singer David Shaw was all over the place, jumping off the stage to greet a few fans in the front. My surprise of the day was The Avett Brothers. Admittedly and surprisingly, I didn’t know much about them so I wasn’t sure what to expect. They were just so good. The songs were catchy and their vibe was infectious.
Sunday evening ended with Dave Matthews Band. Walking out while the band was still warming up, Dave Matthews, dressed warmly, faked impatience by looking at his watch and then shrugging his shoulders at the crowd. Once they were ready to go, Dave launched into a series of beloved songs that the audience gleefully sang back at him. It was easy to leave feeling all warm and fuzzy on the inside despite the chilly temperature.
The Breeders:
Marcus Mumford:
The Revivalists:
Third Eye Blind:
Avett Brothers:
Dave Matthews Band:
The second year of Innings proved to be just as successful as year one. Let’s hope they come back for round 3!
